Anthony "Tony Plate" Plata

[JMAN723]

Hello I have really enjoyed seeing all the different topics on thos forum but haven't gotten a chance to post yet. I always like to bring up mobsters that are less talked about or that there isnt a lot of information on. One such mobster was a Gambino mobster Anthony "Tony Plate" Plata AKA The Pitbull. From what Ive read he spent most of his time operating down in Florida and frequented the Diplomat hotel. He was also known as a real psycho who was still intimidating/killing people into his 60s. One such story is that he jumped on a desk of a debtor spit in his face and threatened to bite chunks out of his face. I guess what is most known about him is his connection to Neil Dellacroce. In 1974 Neil ordered him to kill a Yonkers Bookmaker named Charles "Charlie Bear" Calise. Now another reason why I brought up Plate is because my family is from Yonkers and my grandfather knew the Calise brothers. Anyway in May 79 Neil and Plate were indicted for the Calise murder but Neil ordered Gotti to kill Plate who disappeared in August 79 and Neil was eventually acquitted. One question I have is was Plate originally in Neil's crew or in Tony Napolitano's? Feel free to post anymore information on Tony Plate that I missed. Thanks!!!

[newera_212]

always wondered about this guy myself. seemed like a lunatic. wasn't he the one who clipped someone with DeMeo in Miami and they were sawing the guys head off when a repair crew came by to check the AC?

I thought he was under/with the guy Tommy Dogs in Florida but i dont know if the guy Dogs was a capo or not

[Super]

Think you mean joe dogs and Tommy agro

[HairyKnuckles]

Tony Plate was originally Bronx based and grew up in area located in the north Bronx. In 1932, Plate spent a day in jail for speeding. In 1934, Plate was charged for assault. The charges was found in an article where he is described as a former CWA aid. (Not sure what that stands for.) In 1936 he served a 10 year sentence for armed robbery. Apparently, he and two others had held up a crap game and were given the maximum sentence. In 1959, he was a suspect in the Edward J. Murtha killing. Murtha had been a Long Island labor leader, killed in 1956. Plate´s brother in law, Max Graf was the alleged triggerman, Plate was the alleged get away driver, according to police.

Obituary of Peter Plate (Tony´s brother) 1966:

Peter Plate, 62, Modena, died at his home on Plate Road, last Saturday. Mr. Plate, the proprietor ot the Pine Tree Farm in Modena, was born in Italy, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Plate. Mr. Plate had been a resident of Modena for 20 years and was a member of the Modena Fire Company.
Surviving are his wife,Jeanette, and five sisters, Mrs. Jennie Germano, Florida; Esther Graf, New York City; Mrs. Kate Prelli, New York City; Mrs. Julia Mesla, the Bronx; and Mrs. Alma Pappas, Mount Vernon. Two brothers also survive; John Plate, Yonkers and Anthony Plate of Miami, Florida.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Sutton Funeral Home in Clintondale.

Tony Plate was under Tony Napolitano. The case against Dellacroce in the Carlise murder is fishy in my opinion. Why would Dellacroce ask a member of another crew to do the killing? He had lots of tough guys under him he could have used instead. And the prosecution´s presentation that Dellacroce had personally ordered the hit during a meeting with Plate at Lanza´s restaurant in spring 1974 didn´t hold water, Dellacroce was in jail at the time. That´s why he was acquitted. FBI later confirmed that Calise had been a FBI informant. Tony Plate disappeared while on bail just days after Dellacroce unsuccessfully had tried to seperate his trial from Plate´s.

[newera_212]

Think you mean joe dogs and Tommy agro

Thats it

[richard_belding]

And the prosecution´s presentation that Dellacroce had personally ordered the hit during a meeting with Plate at Lanza´s restaurant in spring 1974 didn´t hold water, Dellacroce was in jail at the time. That´s why he was acquitted. FBI later confirmed that Calise had been a FBI informant. Tony Plate disappeared while on bail just days after Dellacroce unsuccessfully had tried to seperate his trial from Plate´s.

Paul Meskill did a piece in July 1980 exposing the nature of well connected hoods being granted short furloughs from jail at any time they wanted, & probing lax security with sexual and other favors. It came about when it was revealed that convicted cop killer Albert Victory escaped from Greenhaven while on a "sex break". It then reads:

" Dellacroce, boss of the Gambino crime family and the nations most powerful mobster, allegedly got out of the Brooklyn House of Detention in April 1974 & went to an East Side restaurant where he met Anthony Plate, one of the top loan sharks in the Gambino mob."

A corrections captain testified on behalf of the defense claiming Dellacroce never left the Brooklyn jail on the night of the alleged meeting with Plate. Obviously he was acquitted and we're inclined to believe he never left the prison. But its not out of the realm of possibility given these kinds of things were happening somewhat frequently around this time.


Curious if anyone's seen a photo of Casile? Maybe the OP with his family connections. The story goes that while Casile's wife was testifying at trial Dellacroce was seen making his fingers into a gun and pointing at her

[HairyKnuckles]

And the prosecution´s presentation that Dellacroce had personally ordered the hit during a meeting with Plate at Lanza´s restaurant in spring 1974 didn´t hold water, Dellacroce was in jail at the time. That´s why he was acquitted. FBI later confirmed that Calise had been a FBI informant. Tony Plate disappeared while on bail just days after Dellacroce unsuccessfully had tried to seperate his trial from Plate´s.

Paul Meskill did a piece in July 1980 exposing the nature of well connected hoods being granted short furloughs from jail at any time they wanted, & probing lax security with sexual and other favors. It came about when it was revealed that convicted cop killer Albert Victory escaped from Greenhaven while on a "sex break". It then reads:

" Dellacroce, boss of the Gambino crime family and the nations most powerful mobster, allegedly got out of the Brooklyn House of Detention in April 1974 & went to an East Side restaurant where he met Anthony Plate, one of the top loan sharks in the Gambino mob."

A corrections captain testified on behalf of the defense claiming Dellacroce never left the Brooklyn jail on the night of the alleged meeting with Plate. Obviously he was acquitted and we're inclined to believe he never left the prison. But its not out of the realm of possibility given these kinds of things were happening somewhat frequently around this time.


Curious if anyone's seen a photo of Casile? Maybe the OP with his family connections. The story goes that while Casile's wife was testifying at trial Dellacroce was seen making his fingers into a gun and pointing at her

There was a CW at the trial whose testimony was destroyed by Dellacroce´s lawyers. I don´t remember his full name but the last name was Sakerno. Salerno testified that the meeting at Lanza´s took place six weeks prior to the Calise hit (which occured in July). So the meeting must have been in appr late May, according to Salerno. Dellacrose was not permitted out (or given a furlough) during May, according to Department of Correction employees. Another thing that Salerno said was that Tom Greco, the Genovese captain, had been present at the meeting. But Greco was in Florida at the time recouping from an illness which prevented him from flying, according to his doctor. And Greco's daughter testified that her father never left Florida after moving there in 1972. That´s how Salerno´s testimony was shredded.

[JMAN723]

always wondered about this guy myself. seemed like a lunatic. wasn't he the one who clipped someone with DeMeo in Miami and they were sawing the guys head off when a repair crew came by to check the AC?

I thought he was under/with the guy Tommy Dogs in Florida but i dont know if the guy Dogs was a capo or not

Yes the George Bynum murder. Roy and Nino did the killing while Plate was a lookout. They didnt get to finish the job and the maid found Bynum with half his head cut off

[richard_belding]

And the prosecution´s presentation that Dellacroce had personally ordered the hit during a meeting with Plate at Lanza´s restaurant in spring 1974 didn´t hold water, Dellacroce was in jail at the time. That´s why he was acquitted. FBI later confirmed that Calise had been a FBI informant. Tony Plate disappeared while on bail just days after Dellacroce unsuccessfully had tried to seperate his trial from Plate´s.

Paul Meskill did a piece in July 1980 exposing the nature of well connected hoods being granted short furloughs from jail at any time they wanted, & probing lax security with sexual and other favors. It came about when it was revealed that convicted cop killer Albert Victory escaped from Greenhaven while on a "sex break". It then reads:

" Dellacroce, boss of the Gambino crime family and the nations most powerful mobster, allegedly got out of the Brooklyn House of Detention in April 1974 & went to an East Side restaurant where he met Anthony Plate, one of the top loan sharks in the Gambino mob."

A corrections captain testified on behalf of the defense claiming Dellacroce never left the Brooklyn jail on the night of the alleged meeting with Plate. Obviously he was acquitted and we're inclined to believe he never left the prison. But its not out of the realm of possibility given these kinds of things were happening somewhat frequently around this time.


Curious if anyone's seen a photo of Casile? Maybe the OP with his family connections. The story goes that while Casile's wife was testifying at trial Dellacroce was seen making his fingers into a gun and pointing at her

There was a CW at the trial whose testimony was destroyed by Dellacroce´s lawyers. I don´t remember his full name but the last name was Salerno.

Peter Joseph Salerno was his name, a convicted Gold Coast burglar. And as you mentioned, was in witness protection during the time of his testimony. He’d been used in quite a few mob cases down the line for prosecutors.

[JMAN723]

Recently found an article from September 79 regarding Tony Plate’s disappearance on August 13 1979. The fellow who apparently was killed along with him was Hyman Levine who was a criminal associate. I always wondered if there were more involved in their deaths other than Gott, Angelo, and Willie boy

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7324869 ... ppearance/

[Hailbritain]

always wondered about this guy myself. seemed like a lunatic. wasn't he the one who clipped someone with DeMeo in Miami and they were sawing the guys head off when a repair crew came by to check the AC?

I thought he was under/with the guy Tommy Dogs in Florida but i dont know if the guy Dogs was a capo or not

Yeah the guy they killed in Miami was called George byrum

[Hailbritain]

The body of George Byrum, an electrical contractor who worked on Gaggi's Florida vacation home. Byrum had tipped off thieves who attempted to burglarize Gaggi's home without knowing Gaggi was present. Gaggi and his wife Rose, however, were present and they were held at gunpoint while their house was ransacked. When Gaggi discovered the plot, he had DeMeo lure Byrum to a Miami motel room where they were waiting with a mobster named Tony Plate. Byrum was shot and killed by DeMeo while Gaggi and Plate hid in the bathroom. They then began to dismember Byrum's body in the bathtub but were interrupted by a construction crew outside the room that was repairing a faulty air conditioning unit. Before they could dismember the body and put it into suitcases for disposal, they fled the motel. The bloody corpse of George Byrum was later found by the motel maid.

[CornerBoy]

i always get louie dome and tony plate confused

Tony Plate lived on Plate Road LOL

Knew someone in grade school named Jpseph Joseph